October 7, 2002	Monday	Rajab 29, 1423

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RAWALPINDI, Oct 6: The district government, without advertising the 368 vacant posts of teachers has asked candidates to submit applications in two days, it has been learnt.

The positions were lying vacant for the last five years.

According to a press release issued here, Sunday and Monday had been fixed for submitting applications and Tuesday for interviewing the candidates.

This was decided at a meeting held at the office of the District Nazim on Saturday.

According to a decision, taken at a meeting held in the office of the District Nazim on Saturday, the appointments will be made on 368 posts. There are 302 posts of male and 42 female elementary schoolteachers, 22 secondary level science teachers and two senior elementary teachers.

Under the directives of the Punjab Governor, Khalid Maqbool, these vacancies will be filled within a few days.

The teachers have criticized this hasty process of appointment and feared that the recruitments may not be made on merit.

The recruitments have already been made and announcement of vacancies and date for interviews is only a formality, they said.

“How is it possible for a candidate to submit application for the vacancies — which have not been announced — in a single day and turn up for interview the next day, a women teacher said.

The hasty process shows that the government wants to get some political mileage out of these appointments, she added.

When contacted, the union leaders of the teaching community said they were not aware of the vacancy announcement. They said the hasty recruitment process should be stopped, adding that at least 15 days be given for the submission of applications after the date of announcement so that all candidates can avail the chance.